MONTEGO BAY, St James — Four young males accused of having lottery scam paraphernalia received a stern reality check at St James Parish Court on Wednesday.

In the dock were 25-year-old Latrel Christie, 18-year-old Nicholas Jarrett, 19-year-old Nicholas Tennant, and a 17-year-old whose name is being withheld as he is a minor.

Represented by attorneys Martyn Thomas and Henry McCurdy, they appeared before judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton charged with possession of identity information, an offence that has tarnished Jamaica’s reputation abroad and left a trail of victims.

According to court documents, on August 4 at midday police executed a search warrant at Tennant’s home in Goodwill, St James where they reportedly discovered four letter-sized sheets listing names, addresses, and phone numbers of overseas residents. The papers were seized and the four males present were taken into custody.

From the bench, Wednesday, judge Fairclough-Hylton’s message was resolute.

“As citizens of this country you have a responsibility to do better,” she told them, her voice carrying throughout the courtroom.

“What do you want to do with your life?” Fairclough-Hylton asked.

The defendants said they hoped to apply to HEART/NSTA Trust — Jamaica’s national skills training agency — to pursue legitimate careers.

The judge was clear about her expectations.

“On the next occasion, your clients need to come and tell me that they have applied to HEART and are doing the entrance test,” she instructed their attorneys.

For those not pursuing HEART, she left no loophole, warning that they must be engaged in an apprenticeship programme and present a letter confirming this at the next hearing.

Bail was set at $200,000 each, with up to three sureties. Conditions include regular reporting to a designated police station and a nightly curfew from 9:00 to 6:00 am.

The matter returns to court on November 18 for case management — a date that may decide whether the accused take the judge’s challenge seriously or face harsh consequences.